Omaha daily bee., 1887-12-09
He COntratlicts 1t.

OMAHA, Ncb., Dec. S.-To the Editor of the
BEE: Seeing an editorial in last evenings
BEE headed, IA Colony Fraud" and being
an interested member of the colony referred
to- deem it my duty to contradict the false
statements contained therein. You base
your article upon an editorial appearing in a
recent issue of the Oregonian. That journal
does great injustice to an honest and hon
orable cause and must be actuated by the
basest of base motives in its attack upon the
colony and the person of Mr.. George Venablc
Smith.
have been at the colony site for three
weeks and left there October II or l2
MY object IN going there was to investi-
gate its condition, location, resources and
climate. did not depend upon the members
of the colony for my information but visited
farmers in the ncighborhood and others in
the neighboring cities, therefore | know
what am talking about.
/. George Nenable Smith never held meet
ings and poke in Nebraska on the colony
question.
g About October 10, there were 431 per-
sons on the colony site.
g. The chief evangelist does not assess all
who join or make any salary thereby.
4. There has never been u single case of
member refusing to go to the colony when
wanted or who has remained away by reason
VI even SuSplClOn VI us honesty OrSJaDllllN
and only one case of member who withdrew
up to October Q, 1887, to my positive knowl-
edge or to date that am aware Of
3. 1t is true they did not raise enough farm
produce to supply them this winter, but they
purchased machinery and erected u saw mill,
shingle and lathe MILL got out logs and
sawed up lumber since the beginning of
September 1887, averaging $1,000 to 90, 600
feet per day, and established since May l5
last, twelve departments of industry. They
have, ALSO built about thirty-five cottages,
four large two story buildings, one 50xl0O
and three 40x100 feet, which are used for
stores, offices, school and hotel purposes.
The Hall and Society of Ethical Culture is
meeting one evening each week for the dis
cussion of questions of ethics, and is held in
the school room. Lastly, the authority of
Mr.. Smith is that given him by the members
of the colony and can be taken away from
him in forty-eight hours, and his salary as
president is no greater than that of u fairly
paid mechanic.
The cooperative colony is no fraud but Is
genuine practical reform and it is q shame
and pity if its progress should be retarded
by the malicious lying of an unprincipled
journal like the Oregonion. All progressive
movements have their enemies and that the
colony has thus far escaped is not a little
strange. The following persons have left
this city for the colony since June last
Warner E. Smith and family, John Thompson
and family, August Schultze and family DR.
+. S. Lewis, G. ID. Hammann, Patrick FERRY
John Coleman. Their friends in this city will
speak for them, or you can write to them al
Port Angeles, Clalam county, w. II. No end
of guarantees of the soundness of our enter
prise il space would permit. As this is al
important matter both to us and others l hope
you will duly investigate it for yourself and
do us justice. Yours Respectfully,
FRANK j. MCARpLE.